Best First Lesson In Filmmaking

I just landed in NY after wrapping principle on my first live action feature as a Producer and just happened to read an old post from Ted Hope's indieWire blog.

Here are some that I agree with wholeheartedly:

wvfilmmaker Jason Brown 
whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t - you’re right. 

dnbrasco David Davoli
Choose your partners wisely.

FilmmakerMag Scott Macaulay
Best lesson? I wrote about this in the mag, and it comes from James S. in 1994: “Get people to say no and then move on.”

Kleb28 Mitch Klebanoff
Know your audience.

Baanzi Larry Long
if you want to direct, then direct. Don’t try to work your way up through the ranks. 

im2b dl willson
as a director/producer Mike Figgis “90% of the director’s battle is won or lost in casting”

Brian Linse: “Good, Fast, Cheap - pick two.”

Michael Gaston: “Get it in writing.”

Those are all good, valuable lessons.  But they aren't the first lesson you need to learn.  For me, the first lesson you need to learn is a variation on Larry Long's:

If you want to do something, then do it.  Don't try to work your way up through the ranks.  People don't hand things to you - you have to go and take them.